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If you’re shipping your car for your recent relocation, you will need to follow certain guidelines in getting it ready — the auto transport company generally mandates it.

Here are the steps to take to assist you in your preparation.

1. Your vehicle will be inspected before it’s moved, and you must be present for the inspection because you will need to sign the bill of lading as well as a vehicle condition report. You should attend so you can be assured that your auto shipper has all the necessary information.

2. Your automobile must be working properly. Some car transport companies will agree to transport inoperable vehicles, but it comes with an an additional fee. In fact, it’s a good idea to have your vehicle serviced before the ship date to make sure everything’s OK.

3. Before loading your vehicle, inflate the tires to the recommended pressure. This ensures safe loading and unloading without causing damage to your tires.

5. Empty the inside of your vehicle. By law, you can’t leave items in your vehicle while it is being transported. Only items that your vehicle needs to function, such as spare tires or jacks, are allowed. If you leave goods in the trunk or elsewhere and they become damaged, your car shipping company is not liable.

6. You’ll need a complete set of keys available to give the shippers when your vehicle is picked up.

7. Remove all antennas and roof racks.

8. If you happen to have an automated toll-paying device (like an E-Z Pass), it must be removed.

9. If your vehicle has an alarm system, it should be disabled. This is done to prevent the alarm from activating while your car is in transit.

10. Do not fill up your tank on shipping day; have less than half a tank of gas when transporting your car.

A big chunk of car-buying these days is done online. And no wonder- this way we don`t waste time, nerves and fuel on going from dealership to dealership. In some aspects, the vehicle market is not that different from that of the computers’- it evolves constantly and there are always new trends topping off older technology. Read on to see what these are right now!

Small is big

Although the economy is showing signs of recovery, consumers are still striving to downsize key expenses any way they can. Regardless of all other factors, smaller cars constitute lower initial and running costs. Taxes, insurance, fuel consumption and of course purchase price all weigh in their favor.

The big brands have already picked up on this tendency and many of them have announced the coming of compact series. Some are developing brand new concepts, other are combining the looks of popular retro models with contemporary know-how. The results are quite satisfactory where performance is concerned, not to mention eye-pleasing.

Three-to-five- doors vehicles are fighting to keep their ground, but they seem to be losing the battle, especially in urban areas where smaller size make sit easier to park and get around in the heavy traffic.

Power comes from many sources

Gasoline is out- it`s as simple as that. There are currently 3 alternatives that are competing for the hearts and wallets of car-buyers.

Diesel

Until recently such engines were considered to be too smelly, loud and slow. But that was before the new generation of fuels came out. Now diesel has gone from powering mainly trucks and heavy duty military and industrial vehicles, to being everyone’s favorite pump at gas stations across the USA. The numbers prove it- last year alone it scored over 25% increase in sales and over a third so far this year.

This is actually not a surprise. Diesel is the most energy efficient and amongst the cleanest burning fossil fuels. The means less money out of our pockets and even less greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Prices of diesel vehicles are not that higher from those of their gasoline equivalents and when looking in perspective, that difference is nothing compared to the savings to be made in the long run. A few manufacturers have already announced diesel-powered additions to their series and more are expected to do so if the numbers stay so positive till the end of the year.

Hybrid equals smart

Not just in regards to running cost, but also to ecological impact. In simple terms hybrids are designed to use less fuel, thus strongly reducing the damage to both the environment and their owners’ budgets. If we have to put it in more words, these vehicles combine the standard internal combustion engine technology with electric motor components. This allows the burning of smaller quantities of gas and therefore smaller amounts of carbon-based gases being exhausted in the atmosphere. If there was ever a win-win product out there, hybrids are just that.

A couple of years ago they were limited to smaller cars, but today we have a wide variety to chose from- luxury vehicles, trucks, SUVs, etc. Judging from all the buzz in the websites forums, it`s very likely that in a decade or so, we`ll all be driving one of these.

Plug and play

This slogan is no longer reserved for computer games. It has found its new home with the automotive industry. Purely electric vehicles are slowly, but surely becoming a common sight on the streets. Given the fact that the only fuel they need comes from a normal power outlet, it`s not hard to imagine how much lower the running costs are. The same goes for the environmental pollution- producing and burning electricity is a process times cleaner than that of any petroleum substance.

Never the less, a lot of buyers are a bit skeptical and not without good reason we might add. The electrical cars technology is still relatively new and there are many bumps on the road ahead. Charging points and time seem to be the two biggest issues. Finding a gas station and filling the tank of an “old fashioned” vehicle is rarely a problem whether we`re in town or on the highway. This cannot be said about plug-ins though. There are not many stations equipped for powering them and even if that was not a problem, the charging time itself is- it takes well over 6 hours. This is a serious set back compared to the two minutes needed to fill a tank.

Having said all that, it is pretty clear that we have a lot more to see from these cars. For now they remain mostly in the big cities, but as science advances, they are bound to widen their share of the market.

The brand is no longer a leading factor

More and more buyers are skipping the big names in exchange for lower prices and more features. Most major brands are still to learn that upgrading popular models is somewhat obsolete. Consumers are thirsty for fresh ideas and while some makes are dwelling on old concepts, others have managed to reinvent themselves with innovative design, improved functionality and overall better value for money. This is not something that goes unnoticed and so manufacturers we wouldn`t consider a few years ago are now the first to come to mind when looking for a new car.

Classics are called that way for a reason

They never get old. They never go out of fashion. If we say the internet has revolutionized the selling of classic cars, we would not be exaggerating. Experienced collectors remember what it was like to hunt for an exotic vehicle in the near past. It took a lot of contacts and travelling, often across the country, to find what one was looking for. Now there are numerous websites that specialize in such automobiles, so finding the right one rarely takes more than an online search.

Whether purchased as an investment, or for the sole pleasure of driving in style, retro vehicles will never be a thing of the past. On the contrary, their future looks brighter by the minute.

Which of the new screams is your new car? Whichever it is, don`t forget that paying for it is not enough. It has to make its way from the seller to you. We recommend that you hire an experienced auto shipping company with the proper expertise and transporting equipment, as well as an impeccable insurance policy, to safely deliver your vehicle to its new home.

Have you ever been on vacation and wish you had your Car with you so you could journey around and relish the wonderful attractions from your car? Well you are not alone and many people are doing just that by shipping their car to their vacation spot. If you would like to have your car with you on vacation there are some steps you must follow. First of all, you will want to have the date of the vacation and try to schedule the shipping a couple months ahead of time. The summer time seasons are busy times for car shipping companies with so many popular car rallies going on. Give yourself plenty of time to make sure that you can have your car shipped by the company of your choice for a good rate. Also, factor in the time it takes to ship a car. Usually, it’s around a week, but it can take up to three weeks if bad weather is encountered.

Once you have the time frame set, you will want to pick a car shipping service. There is lot of to choose from, so make sure to research online to find out which one is right for you. You will want to pick a service that is experienced in shipping cars. You will discover that some services specialize in only shipping Cars. You might also consider asking others that you ride with for suggestions if they have done it before. Your local car dealer might also be able to recommend a shipping service, as well.

After you have refined it down to a few different shipping companies that you would be relaxed with moving your car, you will want to select the one that can offer you the best shipping rate. There are several factors that identify the shipping rate including: open or enclosed carrier, time of year, and range visited. Usually the cost will be around $400-$900. Sometimes you can find it cheaper, but that company might not offer the type of service and care for your car that you are looking for.

The only factor eventually left to do after choosing a company is to get ready your car for shipping. Each service is different and they will offer you with specific guidelines on what you need to do. Some companies will direct you to strain the gas tank and disconnect the battery. Others will handle that for you. Also, clean your car so that it can be examined for any loss before shipping.

Bkk transport & Brokerage is one among the highly experienced, safe and professional car shipping companies. We provide our services to the vacation spot cities like car shipping in California , Florida and New Jersey, including motorcycle, truck and Heavy equipment transport.

Taking the time to schedule your vehicle for auto transport is very important. We usually recommend scheduling auto transport at least one month or so in advance of when you would like to have your vehicle shipped.

We tell our customers to schedule their vehicle for shipping early for a couple different reasons. One important reason is to schedule your vehicle for transport early is to ensure you it can be shipped on your requested date and that there is an available driver and room on the trailer. It’s like making a reservation for a very popular restaurant, the earlier you call to schedule the more availability you will have. Same goes for scheduling auto transport, sometimes customers want to ship their vehicle at the same time and do not realize to call early enough to ensure they are able to get a spot on the transport trailer.

Be proactive, if you know in advance that you are going to need to hire an auto transport company for shipping, then don’t wait. The earlier you know the better, even if it is 6 weeks or 2 months in advance call and make that appointment! Often enough we see customers try to schedule an auto transport pick last minute and sometimes this causes difficulty in finding an available driver for the customer. We always say preparation is important and in this case, is the first step to being prepared. Taking the time to schedule auto transport for your vehicle earlier will definitely ease stress knowing you have already confirmed plans and do not have to worry. After scheduling your vehicle for transport don’t forget to save all your information provided by the transport company. Feel free to contact us with any questions regarding the transport

Enclosed car shipping is the alternative to open car shipping. Open car transport is the most common form of automobile transportation, although open car shipping is a very safe form of transporting your car, it does not offer a 360 degree protection of your car from dirt, the elements and bad weather.
Enclosed auto transport offers the protection you will need when transporting a classic, exotic,luxury, or that new or special car which needs an extra level of protection. Here are a few reasons to choose enclosed car shipping over open car shipping.
-Enclosed car carriers also carry the maximum in cargo insurance, most policies are $500,000 to $1,000,000 in cargo coverage for all units on the enclosed car hauler.
-Enclosed car shipping drivers are all well trained and knowledgeable in all classic and new exotic car models to be sure each unit is handled with the care the car needs. They are the best drivers in the industry.
-Weather will not be an issue on an enclosed car carrier, your car is protected from all normal road hazards and any and all inclement weather.
-Enclosed car shipping will be more expensive because of these factors, call a Paragon transport specialist today to get a quote on your enclosed car shipment.
– Deciding to ship a car in an enclosed car carrier will give you that peace of mind while your classic,exotic,luxury, or special car is being transported across country.

If you’ve been a motor carrier (or an independent owner-operator with your own authority) for a while, you’ve probably taken a load or three from freight brokers. You obviously know what the broker agreed to pay you. But, I’ll bet you’d just love to know what rate the shipper agreed to pay the broker and what percentage of the shipper rate the broker kept. Was it 15%? Maybe 25%? How about 45%! Well, guess what… under Federal Regulations, you have a right to know! All you need to do is ask.

49 C.F.R. Section 371.3 states:

“A broker must keep a record of each of its transactions, and keep the records for three years. Each party to a brokered transaction has the right to review the record of the transaction applicable to them. For example, motor carriers accepting transportation shipments from brokers have the right to review any of the required documents retained by brokers…

Each transaction record must show:

(1) The name and address of the consignor;
(2) The name, address, and registration number of the originating motor carrier;
(3) The bill of lading or freight bill number;
(4) The amount of compensation received by the broker for the brokerage service performed and the name of the payer;
(5) A description of any non-brokerage service performed in connection with each shipment or other non-brokerage activity, the amount of compensation received for the service, and the name of the payer; and
(6) The amount of any freight charges collected by the broker and the date of payment to the motor carrier (emphasis added).”

So, if you’re a carrier, then you have the right– for up to three years after the transaction– to ask your broker to produce a copy of his invoice to the shipper! Now, if you do ask, don’t be surprised if the broker gets offended and decides to stop giving you loads. However, if it was a spot market deal, or you’ve already decided to get your loads elsewhere, then you might choose to exercise this right. Keep in mind… if you discover your broker kept 50%, it will not change the outcome of your rate contract. But, it might help you in terms of future negotiations.

If your broker refuses your request, you can report the broker to the F.M.C.S.A. under 49 C.F.R. Section 386.12. Or, you can retain us and we’ll be happy to explain the facts of regulatory life to your broker.

The Good:

Every Car Hauler company is required to carry insurance in order to maintain their license and the minimum requirements for this insurance generally easily covers most car’s full blue book value or even the cost of a new vehicle.

Gratefully, damage to a vehicle during auto transport is fairly infrequent. Still it does happen. The most common type of damage is to the vehicle’s exterior, in the form of major dents and scratches and an occasional broken mirror or window.

This type of damage is fully covered by the Car Haulers insurance and in almost all cases the customer will be fully reimbursed for the cost of repair.

The Bad:

Like all insurance certain exclusions apply. For example, most homeowner insurance policies exclude flood and earthquake damage. The same holds true for Car Shipping Insurance. Because each Car Hauler maintains their own insurance policy the exclusions are different for each Car Hauler. However there are general themes. Here is a list of common exclusions that most Car Hauler Insurance policies have.

Common Exclusions:

1.) Not on the Bill of Lading:

Virtually all Car Hauler insurance policies exclude all damage not noted on the Bill of Lading. This is the single most important exclusion that a customer of Auto Transport needs to understand. If there is damage to your vehicle it must be identified at the time of delivery and noted on the Bill of Lading and signed by the driver. If not it will be an uphill battle to obtain coverage for your damage.

2.) Acts of God:

These are generally characterized as weather related damage. For example your car is damaged in a hail storm.

(I’ve always wondered why God gets the credit for all these “bad” events. Isn’t He also responsible for the beauty and plenty all around us. A tangent for sure – sorry)

3.) Road Hazards:

Many Car Hauler insurance policies exclude what is define as road hazard damage. This class of damage often includes rock chips, grease, tar, and oil damage that is common to simply being on the open road.

4.) Personal Items:

Virtually no Car Hauler insurance policy will cover personal items left in the vehicle during a transport.

5.) Mechanical Damage:

It is uncommon for a Car Hauler to cause mechanical damage and this type of damage is frequently excluded. Mechanical damage generally relates to the engine or transmission or other operating systems of the vehicle.

The Ugly:

If you understand how Car Shipping Insurance works and you take some simple precautionary measures there really isn’t anything ugly about it. However, like most things the key is understanding the product’s capabilities and limitations.

Recently, the east coast of the US has been watching Hurricane Irene make it’s way toward land. First, it was headed straight for South Florida. Then it shifted north and is currently headed for the Carolinas; and may even hit the entire eastern sea board. As I write this, Irene is still out at sea and is several days away from an expected land fall. Still, it has been affecting auto transport for all most 7 days in subtle, but significant ways.Auto transport car haulers don’t want to get caught in bad weather. Some will avoid operating routes that would take them through the area affected by a storm. Because of this, customers with vehicles in storm affected areas will often experience delays and/or price increases.

Delays – Drivers will delay pick up, delivery or travel through areas affected by bad weather. While not all drivers will stop operating in bad weather areas, some or many will depending on the severity of the weather. The reduced number of drivers operating will result in delays in pick up and delivery.

Price Increases – Like all markets, auto transport prices change with supply and demand. When the supply of drivers drops it leaves too few drivers to meet the current demand. When this happens prices will tend to rise as customers compete for the remaining drivers. Those customers needing transport ASAP are most affected by this. In some instances, prices can rise very fast. During the winter storms in March and April of 2011, we saw prices rise as much as 30% in a matter of days in response to the record snow fall in the Midwest and North Eastern states.

Because Irene is still at sea, we are just seeing delays for customers looking to get their cars moved in areas threatened by the storm. At the beginning of this week we heard a number of car haulers state they were staying away from South Florida and being careful about the loads they took with pick up or delivery locations on the eastern sea board states as far north as NY. The threat has passed for South Florida but not for the rest of the eastern sea board states. The final effect of Irene won’t be known for a while, but we expect delays to continue and even become more pronounced as the storm finds land. Due to this, prices will most likely increase as well.

Another example of weather induced delays and prices increases was the flooding that occurred in the Mississippi river states this winter. We saw 15% price increases for loads being transport to, from or through flood affected areas. It took several weeks after the flooding was resolved before prices dropped back to normal. This behavior of prices dropping several weeks after the storms effects had abated is normal.

The moral of the story is: auto transport is an outside activity. It is affected by all things outside and especially the weather. Drivers have no more interest to work in miserable or dangerous weather than you do. However, there are almost always drivers that will do it if the pay is high enough. As a customer seeking to get your car moved you should consider waiting for prices to return to normal after the events effect has abated. If you can’t wait, be prepared pay more for your transport. You will be competing for a smaller number of drivers with other customers needing immediate transport. Prices will increase but the sooner you act and get your vehicle on a truck the lower the cost is likely to be.

Understanding Car Haulers can help you with your Auto Transport decision. In particular it will help you decide if you want to work directly with a Car Hauler or through a Broker.

Back Ground
The Auto Transport Industry is made up of more than 5,000 Car Hauler / Car Transport companies. This estimate does not include the thousands of car towing companies that also sometimes play a roll in the Auto Transport Industry.

In this article I’ll discuss where the Car Haulers operate and in other articles I’ll discuss other characteristics of Car Haulers so that you can be a better informed consumer of Auto Transport services.

Where the Car Haulers Operate
The general rule is that Car Haulers tend to operate near major US freeways and between major US cities. Given that most people in the US live near a major city; this is where the greatest number of vehicles needing transport can be found. Additionally, the freeway system represents the lowest cost route for the drivers as they transport vehicles.

However, many other factors affect where Car Haulers operate.

1.) Price – If the price is right a Car Hauler will travel to a remote location to pickup or deliver a vehicle.

2.) Availability of desired loads – Car Haulers do where the demand is. This is generally near large cities but depending on the Car hauler and the equipment they operate this can mean other areas.

3.) Weather – Car Haulers like most people try to avoid storms. They will go to stormy areas but generally only if the compensation justifies the trip.

4.) Congestion – Car Haulers generally operate very large trucks. It is not easy for them to enter high congestion areas such as city centers Some will make the trip but only if the price is right. Other Car Haulers will not enter these areas.

5.) Tolls and Taxes- Some areas have very high tolls and or high taxes. Again, some Car Haulers will enter these areas for a price while others will not transport loads into out out of these areas.

6.) Laws and Restrictions – Some areas prohibit large trucks.

These factors tend to concentrate the drivers in certain areas or on certain routes. But due to the seasonal nature of the Auto Transport Business this tends to change and evolve over time.

My Auto Transport Decision
Car Hauler companies form the back bone of the Auto Transport Industry and perform the actual vehicle moving of the industry. However, with thousands of Car Hauler companies operating all over the the US it can be a challenge for consumers to identify a reputable company that operates when where they need.

This is the roll that the Brokers play in the industry. Their service is to help customers locate the best Car Hauler available at a given time, for a give route, and for the best price.

Aside

Car Transport Service in the City of San Francisco
Planning a long distance move this year?
Need to ship a car, motorcycle or a boat from the city of San Francisco? Midsommar Services is here to be of assistance.Midsommar Services is an auto transport trucking company that provides quality Car Shipping service from the city of San Francisco and within the continental USA shipping vehicles to such destinations as Hawaii and Canada on a daily basis. Midsommar Services values your business. We offer our clients professional, Licensed and, friendly Auto shipping service with excellent prices. While this may be your first time shipping an automobile from San Francisco California, we hold years of experience. We are here to aid as well as educate you on how to prepare your vehicle as it should be, for shipping.

Midsommar Services provides a door-to-door transport of your vehicle. Here at Midsommar Services we value our customers, customer service is our top priority. Your vehicle will be transported on a state-of-the-art 8-10 car open carrier or enclosed carrier. Midsommar Services will provide the finest transport that will be appropriate to carry out the needs of your vehicle and time schedule. Midsommar Services will provides all the insurance information along with all the contact information about the drivers that will be transporting your vehicle. The management of Midsommar Services is always in touch with the drivers to make sure that all guarantee on point deliveries that were quoted are insured.

( All insurance document will be emailed over to you upon reservation.)

Why Should You Choose Our Company?

We are Licensed, Bonded And Fully Insured (MC # 749743)

We offer Top Notch Customer Service 7 Days a week

We screen every driver for reliability!!! (many companies use unreliable drivers)

We have a 5 Star Rating on Transportreviews.com

We will match or beat any equal competitor’s price

We offer Door- To- Door service

Thank you for your interest in shipping your vehicle with Midsommar Services.

Our goal is your complete satisfaction. Thanks to our connections, we usually can arrange a transport within 1 to 3 days* with no additional fee.
As a respectable company that has been helping customers and getting 100% positive reviews for our work, we would appreciate if you would spend a couple of minutes reading about our Car Shipping service from San Francisco California before choosing your broker or carrier.

Insurance (the company must have a valid and effective insurance policy)

Driver and Transportation Company’s history (you want a good driver with a clean record and you certainly don’t want a trucking company who has less than 98% rating.You risk for the low price to end up paying much more, not considering the headache you’ll go through)- this is probably the most important one

Accuracy (you want a company who will pick up and deliver your car in time)

Low-quoters (you do not want a brokerage company who is giving you a low price and is not able to ship your car)